Nicholls State used to be 50 miles from the Gulf Coast. Now it is 24 miles away. Located in the Terrebonne and Atchafalaya basin, Nicholls State is in an area where:
The sediment-starved Terrebonne Basin has rapidly deteriorated since 1932, losing more land than anywhere else in the state. In 90 years, the Gulf of Mexico has crept more than 10 miles closer to Houma, while the neighboring Atchafalaya Basin is one of the few places gaining land in Louisiana.
nola.com
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and Nicholls State University are placing this $14.5 million facility at the university closest to the Gulf. The Terrebonne Basin has lost more land than any other area of the state while the Atchafalaya Basin is one of the few actually gaining ground.
“This joint venture between CPRA and Nicholls could not come at a better time as we are seeing record interest and investment in coastal projects across our state. We look forward to watching this concept become a reality in the very near future,” said Chip Kline, the state agency’s board chairman and executive assistant to the governor for coastal activities. The new 33,000-square foot building will include a public 5,000-square foot exhibit area dedicated to coastal restoration and research efforts in southeast Louisiana. Exhibits will also model the relationship between the Atchafalaya River, lower Terrebonne Parish and western Lafourche Parish to help the public understand the region’s land loss.
Hopefully completed by 2022, this might be a center that will be able to help other areas of the with the studies conducted.
